Crime Rates in North Rhine-Westphalia Decline Significantly Over the Past Decade

Despite public perception of rising insecurity, official data reveals a steady drop in criminal convictions and no statistical link between migration and crime rates.

• The number of convicted offenders in North Rhine-Westphalia fell to 134,469 in 2023, marking a 25% decrease since 2011, according to IT.NRW data.
• Research from the ifo Institute finds no correlation between higher local migrant populations and increased crime rates, aligning with international studies on migration and crime.
• Migrants are overrepresented in crime statistics due to factors such as age, gender, urban residence, and socio-economic challenges, not an inherent predisposition to crime.
• Non-German offenders accounted for 39% of all convictions in Germany in 2023, up from 24% in 2013, but experts attribute this to demographic and structural factors rather than migration policy failures.
• Public perception of insecurity remains a key issue in political discourse, with some parties linking migration to crime despite data showing otherwise.

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